Jim writes: At what width do you go from 2 stringers to 3 stringers in a wooden staircase?
In my stair case articles, I neglected to write about when it is necessary to add a third stringer to support the stair case. I would go to a third stringer when the stair case width exceeds twenty four inches. I like a solid feeling staircase. Walking up and down the staircase I shouldn’t feel the staircase bounce or flex. I have seen track home builders locally who have built 36″ wide stair cases using only two stringers and these are stairs that run straight from the first floor to the second floor. With just one set of jacks supporting the stringers roughly in the middle of the run, if that. Boy, did those stairs have some flex in them! (more…)
